Ten states now have laws or policies regarding green cleaning in schools. The National Association of State Boards of Education highlights these state actions and many other facets of green cleaning and healthy school buildings in the February 2012 edition of its journal, the State Education Standard. Includes the following articles: Existing and Emerging Third-Party Certifications Programs; Making Green Cleaning Easy for Local School Boards; Roadmap to Implementing Green Cleaning in Districts and Schools; State Governments: Promoting Green Cleaning in Schools;Three Case Studies in Green Cleaning; Why Green Clean Our Schools?

Reports on how school air is sickening students in schools. Describes a New York study that finds correlation between building maintenance and illness. Refers to studies that estimate one-third of U.S. schools have mold, dust and other indoor air problems. Profiles a Connecticut school that was so plagued with mold officials decided to tear it down. Provides five simple checkpoints for problems: mold; dust; idling buses; heating/air conditioning units; certified green cleaning products. Includes a video showing parents outrage when sickness shuts a school in the Bronx, New York.

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's second version of a free software tool that helps school districts evaluate and manage their school facilities for key environmental, safety, and health issues. HealthySEAT is designed to be customized and used by district-level staff to conduct voluntary self-assessments of their school facilities and to track and manage information on environmental conditions school by school. EPA has also included critical elements of all of its regulatory and voluntary programs for schools, as well as web links to more detailed information. Enhancements for Version 2 include user-defined custom checklists, custom notification letters, additional and updated reports and forms, new navigation improvements, e-mail functionality, changes in terminology, and additional documentation.

These web pages are intended to serve as a gateway to on-line resources to help facility managers, school administrators, architects, design engineers, school nurses, parents, teachers and staff address environmental health issues in schools. Topics covered include chemical use and management; design, construction, and renovation; energy efficiency; facility operations and maintenance; indoor environmental quality; legislation and regulation; outdoor air pollution; portable classrooms; safety/preparedness; waste; and waste reduction.

Website developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help school districts and facility planners find the information resources they need to design new school facilities, and repair existing facilities. Topics include: high performance schools, school siting, pre-design, materials selection, HVAC, controlling pollutants, moisture control, construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance, renovation and repair, portable classrooms, IAQ Tools for Schools.

Provides links to research reports that link key environmental factors to health outcomes and students’ ability to perform. Includes the latest scientific data on indoor environmental quality, health and academic performance. Discusses why the physical environment of a school is important; what environmental factors are important and practical to address; and how much improvement can be expectec in academic performance and health.

Epidemiologic studies have linked exposure to traffic-generated air and noise pollution with a wide range of adverse health effects in children. Children spend a large portion of time at school, and both air pollution and noise are elevated in close proximity to roads, so school location may be an important determinant of exposure. No studies have yet examined the proximity of schools to major roads outside of the US. Data on public elementary schools in Canada's 10 most populous cities were obtained from online databases. School addresses were geocoded and proximity to the nearest major road, defined using a standardized national road classification scheme, was calculated for each school. Based on measurements of nitrogen oxide concentrations, ultrafine particle counts, and noise levels in three Canadian cities we conservatively defined distances <75 m from major roads as the zone of primary interest. Census data at the city and neighborhood levels were used to evaluate relationships between school proximity to major roads, urban density, and indicators of socioeconomic status. Conclusions: asubstantial fraction of students at public elementary schools in Canada, particularly students attending schools in low income neighborhoods, may be exposed to elevated levels of air pollution and noise while at school. As a result, the locations of schools may negatively impact the healthy development and academic performance of a large number of Canadian children. [Authors' abstract]

Brief summaries of state laws, executive orders and other formal policies that address healthy, high performance school design and construction. Most of these policies reference either the LEED rating system or the CHPS criteria as the green building standard to be met by covered school construction projects.

This special report website includes articles and videos on air pollution at America's school sites. An overlay of school site and Environmental Protection Agency air pollution data provides a tool for finding a school and its air quality standing. A map illustrates clusters of schools where toxic air is the highest.

Provides information on an EPA initiative to monitor outdoor air around schools. The project will collect samples of outdoor air near selected schools over 60 days, analyze those samples for air toxics of potential concern, report on levels of air toxics found and their potential for long-term health impacts, evaluate actions that may be needed to reduce levels of pollutants of concern, and take action as needed to ensure that nearby industries are in compliance with clean air regulations. When monitoring results are available, EPA will post them on this site. This webpage also provides information on the schools where monitoring will occur, background information on air toxics, and links to other programs EPA has in place to protect communities and school environments.

Practical, hands-on reference guide on applicable air quality control measures and preventative strategies. Includes complete response and step-by-step investigation tactics and tools. Specific symptoms of building-associated illnesses are detailed, along with practical guidelines for identifying and controlling the associated pollutant or source of the problem. Provides the results of a decade of new indoor air quality research and experience, as well as updated references and contacts, an update on standards, a new chapter on filtration, the latest research results on causes of indoor air quality problems, and innovative new investigation strategies. 350p.

Presents a collection of laws in the Institute's database that deal with school indoor air quality. The chart includes laws that address schools directly or exclusively, but does not include general laws that may also affect schools. States without such laws are not represented in the chart, and the list does not claim to be exhaustive compilation. 23p.

Examines the implications of chemical exposure and indoor air quality (IAQ) on children's health, as well as the ways by which physical differences, socioeconomic status, and activity patterns increase overall risk. 23p

Offers learning modules designed to introduce all audiences to the concept of green cleaning and cleaning for healthy schools. The Toolkit is an open-source, industry-free, customizable, comprehensive program to safeguard human health, reduce exposures to chemicals, and cost-effectively improve the performance of cleaning programs.

Reviews major tenets concerning the contribution of a healthy school environment to academic achievement. Ten references are included.

The indoor environmental factors considered in higher educational building must be determined in order to meet the user's requirement. Disruption of indoor environment may reduce occupants' efficiencies and their learning process and activities. But the question is, how to ensure that the provision of indoor environmental aspects achieves high satisfaction to the building user. Therefore, POE (post occupancy evaluation) is a prominent tool that indicates satisfaction and comfort level needs by the building occupants as lessons learned to identify problems in the indoor environment. The information of the building's condition is gained by reviewing what the occupants' feelings are and how they response to their needs by using and occupying the building. With relation to the title, the main aim of this study is to determine the occupants' satisfaction levels and the probability of learning process, which can be affected due to poor environmental conditions, based on analytical study on concept and process of POE. A survey on occupants' satisfaction of 100 students in University Technology of MARA, Perak, Malaysia, has revealed that there is significance of providing good quality of indoor environmental conditions, that will affect the learning process of the students. It is concluded that POE is effective to be used in evaluating performance of environmental conditions in a building, especially to apply the relative impact of aspects towards the design of future buildings. By introducing POE in evaluating environmental conditions in higher educational buildings, it is hoped that it helps to move the industry towards sustainable, healthy and comfortable learning areas. [Authors' abstract]

Tips on how to slow the spread of flu specifically through cleaning and disinfecting, including how to do it correctly and how to handle waste properly. 2p.

Video explains that good physical conditions in schools can reduce absenteeism, improve test scores and improve teacher retention rates. Studies that measure school conditions using an index of several variables consistently show improved scores on standardized tests as school conditions improve. On the other hand, schools with major unmet repair needs and fewer custodial workers per square foot have higher absentee rates and higher dropout rates. IAQ problems can cause increased absences due to respiratory infections, allergic diseases from biological contaminants, or adverse reactions to chemicals used in schools.

Discusses reducing the incidence of asthma in schools through continuous evaluation of indoor air quality, a district-wide asthma management program, and a reduction of asthma triggers. Case studies of three districts efforts in these three areas are included, as are links to seven sources of further information. 16p.

Comprehensive study of the environmental health conditions in portable (relocatable) classrooms. This study investigated classrooms in kindergarten through 12th grade public schools and included a large representative sample. A number of environmental problems were found in classrooms throughout California. The Report to the California Legislature: Environmental Health Conditions in California's Portable Classrooms has been submitted to the Legislature, and is available for download.

Offers advice and recommendations about how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can most effectively promote strategies that would improve EPA's long-term school and community outreach approach in the future. The 19 recommendations outlined in this report identify ways in which EPA can work with its partners and stakeholders at the national, state, tribal, and local levels to enhance the Agency's engagement with all school communities, but especially with low-income and people of color communities. Key recommendations address the employment of of EPA's regulatory clout as needed to mitigate pollution sources around schools, development of community outreach and interagency coordination, and expansion of research and monitoring, 24p.

Provides case studies for ten schools that variously improved indoor air quality, saved energy, and improved thermal comfort with Lennox equipment.

Briefly answers questions concerning the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in building caulk, addressing the history of their uses, testing for them, means of exposure, and abatement in advance of a renovation. 4p.

Discusses the importance of "green" cleaning in schools, four steps to initiate change, illustrated with fact sheets on improved environmental health and possible saving with green cleaning, additional green cleaning resources, and links to sample letters, presentations, and policies. Includes 33 references. 16p.

Advises on how to test for the presence of PCBs in the building. The document recommends that the air is tested first to determine if PCBs may be causing a potential public health problem. This initial step may help prioritize the steps and/or approaches for the renovation or repair work. If a PCB problem is identified, it will need to be characterized to determine the extent of PCB contamination. It is important to note that even if PCBs are not present in the air, they still may be present in the caulk and/or other building materials.

Highlights precautionary measures and best work practices to follow when conducting a repair or renovation in older buildings where PCB-containing caulk could be encountered or where it is assumed that PCBs are present, but do not have an abatement planned. Compliance with protective regulations and techniques to prevent the spread of dust are emphasized. 7p.

Provides communities with tools to protect their children’s health by organizing for the passage of safe school siting policies. This toolkit is based on the lessons learned over the past 28 years of working with communities to fight back polluting facilities, build relationships with elected officials, and run successful local, regional, and national campaigns to end toxic chemical exposure. Sections of the toolkit cover children's health and school siting, a model school siting policy, principles for safe school siting, a sample school siting resolution, how to pass a school siting policy, a sample community presentation, and getting successful media coverage. 58p.

Provides guidance to help decrease the spread of flu among students and school staff during the 2009-2010 school year. It provides a menu of tools that school and health officials can choose from based on conditions in their area and provides a checklist for making decisions at the local level. Also included is advice on separating ill students and staff, hand hygiene, routine cleaning, school dismissal, and increasing social distances between students and staff at school. 5p.

Provides information on the reasons for the strategies presented in the CDC Guidance for School (K-12) Responses to Influenza During the 2009-2010 School Year and suggestions on how to use them. The Technical Report includes advice on separating ill students and staff, hand hygiene, routine cleaning, school dismissal, and increasing social distances between students and staff at school. 13p.

Advises on the relationship between cleaning, indoor environmental quality, and health. The report discusses allergens in school dust, the effect of poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) on learning, reservoirs of allergens in chronically under-cleaned areas and what these areas typically are, the role of cleaning in improved IEQ, actions that can be taken by school staff, and calculating the number of custodians needed for cleaning. 15p.

Discusses reasons why children's bodies are more vulnerable to environmental hazards; why unhealthy school environments present a special hazard to children due to occupant density, multiple uses, compulsory attendance, and special needs population; practical solutions for school environmental problems; and federal laws promoting healthy schools. 24p.

This press conference video reviews Connecticut's Green Cleaning Products in Schools Law (CT Public Act 09-81). Advocates, legislators, and health professionals address the impact of the law, historical incidents that precipitated the law, the particular impact of environmental toxins on children, and its fiscal neutrality.

Lists antimicrobial products that are registered by EPA to disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces that may be contaminated with the 2009-H1N1 flu. As part of the registration process, EPA evaluates the product efficacy to make sure the public health label claims are accurate. Currently, over 500 disinfectant products are registered for use on hard, non-porous surfaces against influenza A viruses. EPA believes, based on available scientific information, that the currently registered influenza A virus products will be effective against the 2009-H1N1 flu strain and other influenza A virus strains on hard, non-porous surfaces. This is not a complete list since some products may have different distributor or product names and may not be referenced. The list will be updated as more information becomes available. 20p.

Assists California school districts with navigating environmental mitigation requirements. The handbook identifies the many state and local agencies that may have mitigation requirements, the permissible scope of these requirements, opportunities for negotiation, and best practice advice for compliance. Includes water and sewer service impact, traffic impact, air quality, and climate change. 57p.

Reviews why children are at increased risk from industrial chemicals, how children are exposed, which chemicals are of concern, how these chemicals may impact children’s health, which products have potentially harmful chemicals, and what efforts are underway to reduce or eliminate exposure. Includes 87 references. 29p.

Helps schools and school districts "green" their existing facilities and achieve LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The guide outlines the process for navigating LEED certification for existing schools and provides details on how to conduct organizational assessments,educate and train staff, initiate the certification process, and manage a campus- or district-wide plan. It is designed to be used in concert with additional resources contained in the Green Existing Schools Toolkit (www.usgbc.org/k12toolkit). 85p.

Reports on tests of 21 cleaners used in 13 California school districts indicating that when used as directed, the products released six chemicals known to cause asthma, 11 contaminants that are known, probable, or possible cancer-causing substances in humans, and hundreds of other compounds for which there is little or no hazard information. In all, air testing revealed 457 chemicals emitted by these products. While some of these airborne compounds are known to be hazardous, nothing is known about the health risks of most of them. Manufacturers' documents disclosed the presence of another 38 chemical ingredients that air testing could not pick up. The results also showed that green cleaning supplies can reduce chemical exposure by releasing a lower overall number of measurable air contaminants and especially by producing lower levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 48p.

Advises on maintaining good indoor air quality when renovating or repairing schools. Planning and preparation for asbestos, mold, off-gassing, painting, flooring, and roofing is discusses, as is project cleaning and commissioning. The checklist is used in conjunction with a background information document, found at http://epa.gov/iaq/schools/pdfs/kit/checklists/renrepairchklstbkgd.pdf 7p.

Provides step-by-step guidance to help schools and community partners develop a responsible chemical management program. Consequences of mishandled school chemicals are discussed, and case studies of two schools that have launched a chemical management program are included.

Reviews the status of state laws to protect children from environmental hazards at schools. After an introduction citing the prevalence of unhealthy schools nationwide, each state is presented with information describing the demographics of their current school population and efforts to improve their school environmental health. Appendices address school water quality, other resources, school equity funding laws nationwide, and a position statement from the publisher. 72p.

Guides teachers in assessing products, practices, equipment, supplies, and building conditions that affect indoor air quality, either positively or negatively. The checklist is used in conjunction with a background information document, found at http://epa.gov/iaq/schools/pdfs/kit/checklists/teacherchklstbkgd.pdf 7p.

This website enables users to investigate facilities listed in the EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), number of schools within 1 mile within 5 miles of the facility, plus link to a database about the toxic history of the facility. Users can also research a chemical to learn more about associated risks, and can find icons naming individual schools.

Guides the maintenance staff in assessing HVAC products, practices, and equipment that affect indoor air quality, either positively or negatively. The checklist is used in conjunction with a background information document, found at http://epa.gov/iaq/schools/pdfs/kit/checklists/ventchklstbkgd.pdf 13p.

Encourages re-thinking and changes regarding health and safety practices in the performing arts at all educational levels. Units of the text address the administrator and the performing arts program; the purchase, replacement, and preventive maintenance of equipment; fire prevention and suppression; emergency preparedness; safety during performances; stage housing, rigging, and the audience; shops and storage; environmental concerns; special effects; skill sets for the performing arts instructor, and stage equipment. The book identifies areas that performing arts personnel and administrators might not think of as dangerous or hazardous, such as aging or outdated equipment or facilities, providing readers with pertinent health and safety information, pointing out hazardous conditions and recommended practices. 434p.

Recommends that facility planners and managers specify low-emitting nontoxic products, called source control, for healthier schools. Reviews VOCs, children and poor indoor air quality, chemicals in green building, and other steps to good IAQ.

Identifies strategies to help support schools as they create an asthma-friendly learning environment for students, teachers, and staff. Includes tip-sheets, webinars, and an environmental assessment and management plan.

This paper explores school sports facility provision, physical education allocation and opportunities for physical activity and their association with the number of days adolescent girls participate in at least 60 min of moderate-vigorous physical activity per week (MVPAdays). Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires from Scottish secondary school girls and head teachers participating in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2005/06 study. Compared with schools with no after school clubs, girls who attended schools with activities at least 1 day per week were likely to have increased MVPAdays. PE allocation and extra-curricular clubs are likely to be of greater importance to girls' participation than school facilities per se. This study demonstrates how schools can maximize their environment to increase girls' PA and offers encouraging findings for those with limited sports facilities. [Authors' abstract]

Discusses the EPA's first-ever federal guidelines for locating school facilities that encourage high-performance schools, stress the importance of locating schools near populations and infrastructure and promote schools as diverse centers of communities. They urge communities to consider children's ability to walk to school, access to public transportation and how to locate schools away from potential environmental hazards.

Compares building health to human physical health, emphasizing that preventive maintenance is as necessary to buildings as it is to humans.

Recognizes the importance of clean and sanitary restrooms. Crews must have effective tools and resources, gloves and goggles, germicidal detergents, cleaning supplies for mirrors and other fixtures, microfiber cloths, instruction on properly mixing cleaners and disinfectants, and appropriate method fo refilling soap dispensers.

Argues that convenience-based school design must be reconsidered and advocates design that encourages greater activity and physical movement in the drive to curb obesity.

Notes that needs of maintaining clean and sanitary restrooms can go unnoticed, and that some administrators are unconvinced that green products are affordable and efficacious. The article documents that green restroom cleaning products can improve indoor air quality (IAQ), which has a very positive impact on student performance; and use of green products reduces the chemical inventory and storage locations in the school. Best practices for use are described, as is a plan for making the products cost-effective.

Explores the methodologies employed to assess the exposure of children to air pollutants, in particular traffic emissions, at school, and how these methodologies influence the assessment of the impact of this exposure on the children’s health. This involves four main steps: the measurement of air quality at school level, the association between measured air quality and children’s exposure, the association between children’s exposure and health; and source identification. The comparative advantages and disadvantages of the methods used at each of these steps are discussed.[author's abstract]

Compares the deleterious effect of standardized education to the poor health of a fast food diet. School design should reflect deliberation on how individuals learn and how school facilities will make that process possible.

Describes 10 ways that schools can overcome and move beyond impediments to providing safe, healthful, and high-quality education. The 10 areas include finances, sustainable design, operating efficiency, educational technology, distance learning, security, indoor air quality, maintenance / cleaning, managing space, and community connection.

Discusses lower employee absences due to allergies, asthma, depression, and stress in “green” working environments. Basic principles of employee-friendly design, office layout, lighting, and acoustics are addressed. These provisions improve workflow as well as employee morale, health, and turnover.

Discusses the hazards that bedbugs, rodents, and cockroaches present in school settings, and lists 21 steps that school occupants and employees can take to prevent infestation, particularly in a situation where professional pest management services are being reduced.

Discusses the discrepancy in volatile organic compound (VOCs) content in cleaning supplies, and the extent to which these compounds are emitted when the product is used. Also addressed is the potential for reactions between these compounds and the atmosphere, and the cumulative effect of these compounds on occupant health.

Advises on the handling of hazardous materials in institutions, with a stepped approach to evaluate current management, identify hazards, communicate procedures, provide personal protection, and reduce hazardous waste.

Discusses categories of hazardous waste, common hazardous waste generated by schools, individual generator statuses of hazardous waste, and storing, shipping, and reducing hazardous waste.

Discusses "green" cleaning in schools, citing cleaning product certification, improved mixing and dispensing equipment, and coordination of products and cleaning implements.

Discusses the role of prevention of water intrusion into the school building envelope, ceiling tile selection, and insulation in creating a healthy, quite, and comfortable learning environment.

Describes the advantages of automatic continuous cleaning devices on toilets and urinals, and advises on their installation and maintenance. Completely touch-free restroom fixtures are also recommended.

Describes the personnel that school officials should be working with to ensure a school environment free of toxins. Environmental engineering consultants, government agencies, contractors, school maintenance personnel, school administrators, and public relations personnel all share responsibility for discovering problems, remediating them, and communicating to the public.

Describes touch-free door systems that prevent the spreading of germs, particularly in schools, where young children are negligent about washing their hands.

Explains how poorly maintained toilets and missing supplies contribute to childhood constipation and toilet-related health problems, and calls for minimum toilet standards and parental inspection.

Describes how proper maintenance of school HVAC systems contributes to educational achievement through better air quality and thermal comfort. An example of preventive maintenance on systems in the Round Rock (Texas) School District illustrates many procedures, their respective costs, and benefits.

Balances the need for restroom design and equipment providing good hygiene with the need for judicious use of skin care supplies and amount of water used in showers, sinks, and toilets.

Discusses policy decisions regarding the quality of the physical school environment--both, school siting and school facility planning policies. These are often considered through the lens of environmental planning, public health, or education policy, but rarely through all three. Environmental planners consider environmental justice issues on a local level and/or consider the regional impact of a school. Public health professionals focus on toxic exposures and populations particularly vulnerable to negative health outcomes. Educators and education policymakers emphasize investing in human capital of both students and staff. By understanding these respective angles and combining these efforts around the common goals of achieving adequacy and excellence, communities can work toward a regulatory system for school facilities that recognizes children as a uniquely vulnerable population and seeks to create healthier school environments in which children can learn and adults can work.[author's abstract]

Cites the poor quality of restrooms as a disincentive to hand washing. Attractive and well-maintained facilities, with universal access, hands-free accessories, and solid-surface countertops are recommended.

Discusses the role of air filters in maintaining indoor air quality, citing the history of filters, their typical composition, styles available, and the respective filtration capacities and resistance of five types of filters.

Expands on six lessons learned from the H1N1 pandemic, including community involvement, details of handling ill students, having a thorough plan, staying calm, educating every group, and having confidence in the safe environment that is being created.

Advises building operators on suppressing the odds of an influenza outbreak by maintaining appropriate humidity levels, servicing HVAC systems, using higher-efficiency filters, and training workers to avoid exposure to and spreading of influenza.

Representatives of teachers and staff from Canada and the United States discuss the hazards and their effects. They also have many—often unrecognized—successes and related lessons to share. These include taking comprehensive approaches, looking for broad sweeps and entrees, using building sciences and strategies of solid information, acting with respect and with persistence, including students and parents, going for green cleaners, and using participatory methods. The representatives build on these to discuss what else needs to be done. The ideas are underpinned by the creativity, dedication, and persistence evident in their work to date.

Advises on maintaining good indoor air quality during renovations, renovating with environmentally friendly materials, and reducing and recycling construction waste.

Cites the poor quality of restrooms as a disincentive to hand washing. Attractive and well-maintained facilities, with universal access, hands-free accessories, and solid-surface countertops are recommended.

Discusses the advent of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating systems, and how their adoption by school systems are creating healthier and environmentally conscious facilities. Obstacles to implementation are discussed, as well as federal efforts to mandate "green" school construction and renovation.

Discusses the spread so far and predicted severity of H1N1 influenza. Identifying and cross-training backup employees to cover essential building functions, preparing occupants for varying service levels in case of an outbreak, social distancing of occupants, increased opportunities for hand sanitization in common areas, and daily disinfecting of heavily touched objects such as doorknobs are also addressed.

Discusses how "green" schools, in addition to saving energy and generating less pollution, improve occupant health. Reduced absenteeism and improved student performance in green schools are addressed.

Discusses the importance of natural light, ventilation, ability to control one's environment, and a residential feel to successful dormitory design.

Describes the benefits of green cleaning to occupant health, current labeling of products, and cases where schools have saved money by switching to "green" cleaning products that were more concentrated than the conventional products previously in use.

Discusses modular construction and sustainability as it relates to LEED prerequisites for the categories Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation and Design, and Regional Priority.

Cites the health risks from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in carpet cleaning compounds, advises on how to identify environmentally compounds and methods such as encapsulation. Advantages of dry cleaning methods, certification of cleaners by the Carpet and Rug Institute, and improved school attendance where green cleaning has been implemented are also discussed.

Advises on totally mold-resistant wall installations. Typical areas at risk for mold growth are described, as are details of mold-resistant joint tape, joint compound, and paint.

Advises on integrating pandemic flu plans with other school emergency plans, citing the necessity of educational continuity in a environment with extensive staff and student absences.

Describes Integrated Cleaning and Measurement (ICM) that uses scientific analysis to determine the effectiveness of cleaning beyond that which can be detected visually. The technique can accommodate zone, team, daytime, and green cleaning. Benefits of hygienic surfaces to reduced absenteeism are detailed.

Discusses how the LEED v3 rating system will affect building operations and maintenance. The three enhancements detailed are harmonizing prerequisites and credits for increased consistency, adjusting credit weightings based on their impact on human and environmental health concerns, and prioritizing select credit weightings to address regional environmental issues. Advice on assembling a LEED certification team is included.

Describes how Wisconsin's Port Washington-Saukville School District funded and conducted environmental testing at an elementary school to determine particulate risks from nearby factories.

Describes harmful effects of some traditional cleaning products on occupants and cleaning personnel. Routes of absorption include ingestion, inhalation, and through the skin. Cumulative effects of exposure and adverse effects on hormone production are also addressed.

Discusses the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) when creating a sustainable school. The consequences of poor IAQ are discussed, followed by HVAC and indoor product considerations that adversely affect air quality. Suggestions for ascertaining the "healthiness" of indoor finishes are offered, including ratings by third-party certifiers.

Discusses raising the standard of school cleanliness to improve occupant health and reduce absenteeism. A measuring program to discern the amount of microbes left on school surfaces is recommended, and the results of study that correlated cleanliness with attendance are described.

Discusses school furniture with low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Seeking environmentally certified products is recommended, and if none are available, understanding what the furniture is made of, how it might be refurbished or recycled, and its durabilility is essential.

Cites examples of bird and bat infestations at educational institutions, the health hazards they present, and typical ways to repel them.

Advises on response to water damage in buildings, emphasizing immediate action to remove water, assess moisture damage, dry or remove materials, isolate the affected area, and document all findings. Also included is advice on safe demolition and removal of contaminated materials and selection of a certified contractor.

Outlines the facility manager's role in reducing hazardous waste by replacing toxic products with less harmful ones, recycling, reducing production of hazardous waste, and developing a written program to monitor and improve hazardous waste handling.

A recent review of student asthma rates and environmental audits of school buildings suggests that schools with poor indoor air quality have higher-than-average rates of asthma. Many Boston Public School (BPS) children and staff are learning and working in poor indoor environmental conditions that not only can exacerbate asthma, but also lead to other problems ranging from allergies and sinus infections to adverse academic performance [1]. The Boston Urban Asthma Coalition (BUAC) conducted a preliminary analysis of 2004-05 childhood asthma rates for BPS students and compared them to the 2004-05 environmental audits of the top 10 schools with environmental problems. This analysis suggests that schools with the highest rates of leaks, mold, and pest infestations also have higher-than-average asthma rates for children.